Two Killed in Detroit Building Collapse

**7miledog** · December-14-11, 03:37 PM

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...se-20111214-ms

I think this must be the Arnold Home. So sad; my prayers go out to their families. This city is literally fu*cking falling apart.

Tour Arnold Manor

**7miledog** · December-14-11, 03:42 PM

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/M...z/-/index.html

Ch 4 is reporting they were scrappers. I officially rescind my condolences.

**mikefmich** · December-14-11, 04:32 PM

Someone's passing is always a sad thing......but a wry smug smile is trying to find its way onto my face.

**softailrider** · December-14-11, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by 7miledog

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/M...z/-/index.html

Ch 4 is reporting they were scrappers. I officially rescind my condolences.

What could have possibly been left to scrap? I would have thought the place would been totaly cleaned out a long time ago.

**riviera** · December-14-11, 05:26 PM

Yikes, someone got that building from the county this year.

It might need more work than they expected.

**downtown_racine** · December-14-11, 06:06 PM

I love the line the reporter mutters, "in the wake of this tragedy the Detroit Fire department is warning people that scrapping is a dangerous way to make a living" like pilfering pipes out of someone elses property is a legitimate gig.

Now lets go fell some 36" I beams 3 stories up in a skywalk.

**grumpyoldlady** · December-14-11, 06:58 PM

Just because they were scrappers doesn't mean their families don't deserve condolences. They may or not have approved of this practice, but regardless, they are probably hurting.

**Carey** · December-14-11, 08:22 PM

Smirking at the death of two people is sad.

**DetroitZack** · December-14-11, 08:24 PM

I have no symathy for any ill that happens to scrappers.

**eno** · December-14-11, 08:56 PM

I wouldn't be surprised if the families of the two deceased men sued the owner of the property for not securing the building site. Probably get a decent out-of-court settlement.

**detlump** · December-14-11, 09:32 PM

Not so sure about suing the landowner being sued successfully, the scrappers were trespassing, and stealing materials from the property, it is not an "attractive nuisance" like a pond and kids falling in it.

Michigan courts are pretty conservative, so they would take a dim view of setting a precedent that a scrapper can sue a property owner for being injured/killed while scrapping. It can be practically impossible to secure some properties, especially one as large as this. Also, the property recently changed owners, so the new owner should have reasonable time to secure the property.

**WickedILL** · December-14-11, 11:22 PM

Darwin-ism at its best!

**wolverine** · December-15-11, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by grumpyoldlady

Just because they were scrappers doesn't mean their families don't deserve condolences. They may or not have approved of this practice, but regardless, they are probably hurting.

Call me cold-hearted, but why? They would be aware of the risk. Should we justify dad going out to rob the liquour store so he can provide for the family? It's not hurting a lifeless old building, it's hurting the community more than a single family.

I can't really look past this sorry. Maybe if I met the family I'd feel some sympathy, but I shouldn't let this distract from the fact that scrappers make the city worse by the day

**reddog289** · December-15-11, 03:59 AM

Hen they said nursing home I thought of that place.Sad it ended tha way.

**Dexlin** · December-15-11, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by downtown_racine

I love the line the reporter mutters, "in the wake of this tragedy the Detroit Fire department is warning people that scrapping is a dangerous way to make a living" like pilfering pipes out of someone elses property is a legitimate gig.

Now lets go fell some 36" I beams 3 stories up in a skywalk.

It's a very real job in a city without many legitimate jobs, and a region without reliable options to get to where the jobs actually are. I'm as sick of scrappers as the next guy, but lets not pretend this is done in a vacuum and for no reason or that your average scrapper is getting rich off of this dangerous task. These folks ended up paying a price far more expensive than any court could order; they paid with their lives, so I'm not going to add insult to injury, or insult to death more literally.

**R8RBOB** · December-15-11, 10:05 AM

The previous owner, John Sarnecky II of Canton, said he tried to get city or state help to rehab the site but failed.

Why property owners assume that a municipality is responsible for rehabbing your property? Isn't this the reason why we have private ownership in this country?

**noise** · December-15-11, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Dexlin

It's a very real job in a city without many legitimate jobs, and a region without reliable options to get to where the jobs actually are. I'm as sick of scrappers as the next guy, but lets not pretend this is done in a vacuum and for no reason or that your average scrapper is getting rich off of this dangerous task. These folks ended up paying a price far more expensive than any court could order; they paid with their lives, so I'm not going to add insult to injury, or insult to death more literally.

Agreed. I think about what it would take to get me to do these things to provide for my family and I can't help but feel horrible for the people forced into these "jobs".

Don't get me wrong: you have nobody to blame but yourself when you get caught doing something illegal...but that doesn't mean I think they should be killed.

**Danny** · December-15-11, 10:43 AM

If a building is totally dangerous abandoned TEAR IT DOWN! covering up the doors and windows is not going to work!

**Hamtragedy** · December-15-11, 11:01 AM

The current owner just bought the building in October.

From the Detroit News:
Al-Mehdi said he is saddened by the deaths and promised to clean up and secure the property. He said he has no specific plans for the sprawling facility and decided to bid on it on a whim the night before the auction.

"I really didn't have any plans when I put in an offer," Al-Mehdi said. "I really don't know what I want to do with it."

He said it's like "buying a car for a penny: you can always scrap it. I am paying pennies on the dollar."

Just another slum-lord.

Occurrence · December-15-11, 11:03 AM

If the building was wide open and "closed" or "No Trespassing" signs weren't posted anywhere on the property, were they really trespassing? Michigan law says signs must be posted, if they weren't, then the families could indeed sue, I doubt they would win, but they would have grounds for a lawsuit.

**hamtown mike** · December-15-11, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by eno

I wouldn't be surprised if the families of the two deceased men sued the owner of the property for not securing the building site. Probably get a decent out-of-court settlement.

Now that is something I would openly protest!

**Jimaz** · December-15-11, 01:18 PM

Did anyone collect on a Dead Peasant Insurance Policy?

I imagine the premiums would be pretty high on such things.

**downtown_racine** · December-15-11, 03:50 PM

Theft : A very real job whether you wield a gas ax and sawzall in a clapped 1977 Dodge pickup or Bernie Made-Off in a Merc S550.

Must have been a helluva ceiling.

**detroitmale** · December-15-11, 04:01 PM

I'm sorry but I don't feel sorry for them. That's what's wrong with many of the Detroit properties now, all this lazy scrappers who don't wanna go and get a real job, go out and steal and damage properties to make a buck! They got what they deserved!

**antongast** · December-15-11, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by detroitmale

I'm sorry but I don't feel sorry for them. That's what's wrong with many of the Detroit properties now, all this lazy scrappers who don't wanna go and get a real job, go out and steal and damage properties to make a buck! They got what they deserved!

It pretty much defies logic that anyone would choose scrapping over a "real job" if both options are available. Think about it.